Hooks You in Like the Game

And just like the game, you think, meh, I'll take it or leave it, but then . . . you don't want to leave.

This was one of the rare times I watched (the series) first, then read. Beautifully written (and translated, let's not forget that task), it takes you through four generations of a family whose hearts are in Korea even when their feet are in Japan. Racial, social and economic stereotypes and prejudices follow them as they try to rise above what is expected of them and give a leg up to the next generation. Bonds of marriage, passion and friendship make life hard and at the same time, make life bearable. Profound and moving.

Banning It Proves Him Right

Holy moley. Where do I start? This meaty tome walks us step by step prior to the earliest days of the fledgling U.S. to the midst of 45's presidency.

According to the American Library Association (thanks, Wikipedia), in 2020, it was the #2 most banned or challenged book. Here's what I've read regarding the reason(s) that this book has been banned:

"because of author’s public statements, and because of claims that the book contains 'selective storytelling incidents' and does not encompass racism against all people."

Hmm . . . Seems like it's a book about Black people, so why would he talk about all the other people in this country who have been victimized by racism? There are lots of books out there about those folks, and it's pretty sad that there's enough fodder there to fill more than a few library shelves. Oh, I get it. I think they mean White people . . . yes, the White people have been so maligned. Waah.

Oddly, perhaps, learning about the constant barrage of stealthily endorsed books, laws, policies and practices which formed the cultural mindset of the day made me rethink how I would have felt about Black people had I lived in the time of slavery (or Reconstruction, for that matter). Would I have been someone more enlightened than the masses? Or would I have been the norm--complacent, content in the fact that what was going on was somehow right? I know what I'd like to think I would have thought, but the messaging was so complete, and so pervasive, I'm embarrassed to say I'm not sure. So while this may heft some of the onus of responsibility from the hoi polloi, no one is exempt. Because as Kendi stresses, behaviors beget policy which in turn begets beliefs. And the circle keeps turning.

Honestly, I found this book to be admirably diplomatic. There were some scathing narratives of course, not because the author sensationalized the stories, but because the circumstances were embarrassingly horrific on their own. I guess the issue is that he reported it at all, and therein lies the rub. Keep things under the rug where they belong and there won't be any trouble? We've done that long enough. People who read the entire book can attest to the fact that the author absolutely looks out for other victims of "isms", including White people, is very methodical in his reportage, and knows his topic. I would pay lots of $ to see a debate between Dr. Kendi and anyone on any panel who has banned this book. It's a keeper.

A Deep Dive

I didn't know anything about the topic of "blood libel" (the practice of ridiculously conjuring up hogwash stories about Jews kidnapping children in order to drain--and drink--their blood for supposed Jewish rituals) before reading this book. But boy, do I ever now. Seems too stupid to even be a "thing", but I guess it has stood the test of time, and Jewish folks have suffered greatly because of it. From this book I learned that people have been lying about news for literally thousands of years, and conspiracy theories are nothing new. I guess idiocy is a condition of the human experience and has always been. Although exhaustively researched, it was a little mired in minutiae for me, and dragged at times. Okay, actually mostly dragged. I found myself working on my speed-reading skills just to get through it. But it did inform me and for that I'm grateful. Just don't make me read it again.